England’s Cadet Boys’ team are guaranteed a top-20 finish at the European Youth Championships, but the Junior Girls have narrowly missed out.
The boys today defeated Estonia 3-1, with Thomas Rayner winning two singles and combining with Louis Price in the doubles. It meant they topped their second-stage group and will now play Denmark tomorrow in the first of two play-offs for positions 17-20.
England’s Junior Girls started well in their group match against Lithuania, Denise Payet winning the opening match, but they missed out 3-1 overall as Kornelija Riliskyte won her two singles.
The girls then beat Bulgaria 3-1 in the first play-off for positions 21-24 – they will face Croatia on Thursday to decide who will finish 21st.
The Cadet Girls will play Bulgaria to decide 23rd and 24th places after they lost 3-1 to Ireland in the first match in the 21st-24th bracket.
The Junior Boys had two good 3-1 wins over Bulgaria and Netherlands today, Shayan Siraj taking a double in both matches. Their final test is against Bosnia-Herzegovina for 29th place.
Results
Junior Boys’ Team
Group O
England 3 Bulgaria 1
Ethan Walsh bt Martin Petrov 3-2 (11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-4)
Shayan Siraj bt Hristo Hristev 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 11-5)
Radoslav Kotev bt Ben Piggott 3-2 (11-3, 11-7, 12-14, 9-11, 11-7)
Siraj bt Petrov 3-1 (10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9)
Positions 29-32
England 3 Netherlands 1
Siraj bt Barry Berben 3-2 (9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11)
Lode Hulshof bt Walsh 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-5)
Piggott bt Floris Zur Muhlen 3-1 (11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8)
Siraj bt Hulshof 3-1 (6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8)
Junior Girls’ Team
Group L
Lithuania 3 England 1
Denise Payet bt Emilija Riliskyte 3-0 (12-10, 11-6, 11-8)
Kornelija Riliskyte bt Charlotte Bardsley 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 11-9)
Auguste Melaikaite bt Mollie Patterson 3-1 (12-10, 7-11, 11-4, 11-5)
Kornelija Riliskyte bt Payet 3-1 (11-9, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9)
Positions 21-24
England 3 Bulgaria 1
Bardsley bt Kalina Hristova 3-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-7)
Ivet Ilieva bt Payet 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-8)
Megan Gidney bt Gabriela Ivanova 3-0 (11-5, 12-10, 11-4)
Payet bt Hristova 3-2 (11-3, 11-6, 6-11, 9-11, 11-8)
Cadet Boys’ Team
Group M
England 3 Estonia 1
Rayner bt Markkos Pukk 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 14-12)
Madis Moos bt Boonyaprapa 3-2 (11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 11-13, 17-15)
Rayner & Price bt Moos & Pukk 3-0 (12-10, 11-7, 11-6)
Rayner bt Moos 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-9)
Cadet Girls’ Team
Positions 21-24
Ireland 3 England 1
Sophie Earley bt Baldwin 3-0 (12-10, 11-3, 11-8)
Rogove bt Lucy McIvor 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-5)
Earley & Silke Heinen bt Baldwin & Chan 3-0 (11-9, 14-12, 11-7)
Earley bt Rogove 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-5)